Stem-sealed valve with multiple actuating means



Dec. 22, 1953 1 A. LAKso 2,653,318

STEM-SEALED VALVE WITH MULTIPLE ACTUATING MEANS Filed NOV. 25, 1951 Z Ji" l 34 Patented Dec.L 22, 1953 @NewYork v1amm-aenrirwemhm 2s, wsrseriai mamma-e,

invention; relatesftoevalves :forcontrolling the ffiowfof. steam or.- "athene-:pressureuidsiparv bushing; which :deposits-tend. 'gradually tofbuild up?l over.- a long; period rOJftimezeUntiI;

hestem 'sticks so tightly that. `@eration or; the. valve-.fis hindered, .or fr even prevented', f; entirely; This .prob-lem is;E particularly. .serious -v `.wf-lien' :the -valve is. usedA Aas an femergency.- stop 'ii/,alte` inra I .turbine y 'power plant;';such a valve-being- `ordinarily: maintained in vfully-openl` posit-ionffwhemthe plant.` is in operation.; -v sticking'infthis; positiorris.; of course extremelydangerous;:sneeinfthe event of an`- emergency foversspeed .-condition, thefesafety of the .entirerplant:mayedepend(Orr/thek prompt .clesingv of:A the valve.A Y

Y 'One-solution* which .fha-sein` recentu yearsbeen .advocated Vfor` preventing; :this sticking .Y .of the valve.` stemhas-heen to; providerthe-.stem :and .its cooperating guidebushingsw-ith a bereledshould-er .and seat arrangement; the shoulder `on the .valve stern 'being broughtinto tghtsealingengagement with the Y seat on fthebushing when 'thetalver is in wide-open--positionv This. has introdueedfthe further problem of proyiding for.tight.. seating of.` thesealing -;-shou1der,.wliile ,preventing excessive stresses in the valvestern.-dueto-differential .thermal expansion tszhieh.v oeenrs .When:..the. -valve goes .-from. the cold veonditon to normal. operating temperature. Since thevalve .housing is; relatively '.massive: compared: With-.the valve stem, these partswill heat-and.eoo1`at,..diierent rates, with `the resultethat .diierental.thermal-expan@ sion of .the Valve housing may. .impose sufcent stresses y.on thevalve stemto. result in .failure Y. The general arrangement and ,application .of valves of the-type described.. herein is eiliselosedY in the-United States patenttoRudolf Schlenker, 2,386,067, issuedoctober, lsand-{assigned to the .same .assignee asvv .the presentyapplioation,

.Accordingly, 1an. objectbilthisinventioniis. ,to provide .anirrrprovedyliigln.y pressure steam .valveof theftype. de seribe'-having.ajfshoulden type.ZA stem sealing .arrangement sand speeiallygarrangedo produce :effective y.sealing of .-the.stem :While elimi-` nating danger. .oiiailure o ft'he. stem duev tardif".

ioiaims. (on. 13.71641).

fementiaiL thermal .expansionrelativetol tee-heus ing. l

. .A fortifier.` obi-.ect istaprovide. animproyedheh pressure steam.valve.partiularlyadapted f pr use marine :turbine power. .plants whereth FValve may; be. openedeither .mannailyor 'er1ner1sj of, a hydrauli.rnotor. ,l

1 @then objects.. and advantageswillbemme ap.- parent from. the following descriptionstaken Twinne.ation with.d the-accompanying. drayrineain which YEig-J 1- iS- a longitudinal seetiQn-.threuehe high pressure steam rali/Yein@Qlpra,tingtheipr rentiom-.and .Elie-.- 2.- is atransrer'se. 'sectiriftaken onthezplane 2e.-2in.Ei'g-., 1.

.- Generally,v .the irl-ventiel@-l is. practiced he. pro.-

.v idng both manual. and fmotoroperated..y .110,53* tlonrngmeansforthe :valve stem.with.l aresilient .connection betweenstemami. atuaters- Referring now .more .particularlyto Eig.. 1the invention is illustrated as applied tara ValveliaY-f ing a housing. |...denineaninletchamher gw-ith .an inlet.. port' 2a, The4 itop...of. ...the st.eam.nlet chamber: Z. is. elaseclby..alieusng..partiture geg .cured tothemainbody 'lEby,apluralityofsthread, ed faStCnngS-. HousingY tiert/ion:l '3 basel lorleie tudinal boreeontaininga valvestem; .guide hush, me. 5.. and allowepressure.. packing. showrrat. 6.

s The Y valve, stern "1 ,isl;sldab.1. disposed ,thmugh the bushing 5 andpackineeandis pmmqeewih .a conical. sealing..shoulde-1adapted to. engage a beizelefiseaiw `Q11:the.arljacerit .enclof bushing 5. ..-Bi,1sl111r.1gv Sfmay:besuitablyseeured inhgusmg has. lfor.- instance .by-beine welded.. as. indicated generally at 8.

The. steamlrlow .control v.nnexriloer eemprises headfireeto move. lQngtlldlfllylmifl di# l tance, onthestemJ-g thismovement beingflimited by. a aange .I 0, '.The .extreme end. portiQn- 0fv stem I iormaspherialnlbt valve member 1b adapted toerlgaee, fthe. .rounded inletltoyarlet .porti-9a when. the valveris .the fullyeclosed tpositiony withtheonterrounded end surfaeeof. the heedrl! in. engage,mentV with' the. main Naive. seeming I l 1t .winne apprenne@ bmmseskuied infthert that, when Lthe .valve y .stem begins to rise from the .fully-closed minion, the pilot .pertiorizleor thestemfwillrst open. the pilot. partita, s@ este decrease the .pressure differential aeress -`the memloer- Seithns-redueine 4111:19. force required. .te mien. the-.value A:ter@epresiete-.rmined. intaltraifl,

` the flange i t @meegeslwehead-ian@ meveszit. in

the. Qpeninadiretiorl. ...15mn .pilot arrarjigemy me here.

It will be understood that the close clearance between the stem l' and bushing 5 is relied upon to reduce leakage along the stem, and positive engagement of shoulder la with seat 5c is intended to positively 4prevent motive uid leaking through this clearance. However, if any ,such leakage should occur, it will be bled olf through the conduit I2, as described more particularly in the above mentioned patent to Schlenker.

The mechanism for positioning the valve stem 'I is supported on a bracket member I3, which may have the general configuration of a cylinder secured at one end by threaded fastenings I4 to the housing portion 3, and having a pair of diametrically opposed, longitudinally extendingr slots I5, the purpose of which will be seen hereinafter. lThe upper end of bracket memberk I3 supports a guide bushing I6, in which is rotatablyy disposed the valve actuating spindle Il. Spindle Il carries a manual actuating handwheel IB, and Yis also adapted to be positionedby a hydraulic motor I 3,

shown at the bottom offr'Fig. l, and connectedby means of a yoke and a pair of push-pull rods 2l, 22 to an upper Vyoke 23 which is disposed transversely throughslots I5.Y Spindle Il is free to rotate relative 'to yoke l23, but is positioned longitudinally thereby byy a thrust collar I'la and a retainer ring member 24, which has a central circular portion encircling the stem and engaging the collar IIra. The ring 24 has two or more spaced IQb and positioned upwardly against the bias of i the spring `by hydraulic liquid admitted through inlet conduit I 9c. Motor I9 is supported from the housingrl by any suitable means, such as two or more support brackets, only'one ofY which is indicated at I9cl. v Y l 1 e The lowermost position of piston IQa is indicated by the dotted lines I 9e, I9f. When in this lowermost position, hydraulic operating liquid adand the bracket member I3 is prevented by other key means in the form of one or more radially projecting lugs 32a engaging a longitudinal keyway defined in the inner surface of bracket cylinder I3 as illustrated in Fig. 2.

For holding the yoke 2 3 in uppermost position, as in the drawings, without the aid of hydraulic pressure in cylinder I9, there is provided a manual latch 35, shown in Fig. 2. This comprises a bellcrank detent pivoted at 36 to the housing and having an end portion 3l biased radially inwardly by a coil spring 38 housed between the detent and adjacent portion of the housing. Detent mitted throughconduit I,9 cY vbypassesthe piston by .Y

ent from the method ofoperation described below.

In order to'prevent excessive stresses being imposed on the valve stem, the actuating spindle. il is connected to the stem I by a break-away connection, indicated generally` at 2S. This includes an inner tubular member 21, threaded on the end of rod 'I and preventedfrom rotating by a dowel pin 28. The upper end of tube 21 is provided with a flange 29 forming the upper Vabutment fora compression spring* 3d;` The lower end of spring 3|] abuts against an end cap member 3| which threadedly engages an outer cylinder member 32. The inner tube 21 passes freely through the central opening in end cap 3l, and the upper end portion of cylinder32 is received on the threaded end IIb of the actuating spindle. Relative rotation between the inner tube 2! and outer cylinder 32 is prevented by key means illustrated in this case as comprising a longitudinally extending dowel 'pin 33, which is threaded into, the end flange 29 of tube member 21 and projects freely into a hole 34 which extends longitudinally through the upper end portion of bushing ,32. Relative rotation between the cylinder member 32 31 forms a shoulder 31a adapted to engage the yoke 23 wheninraised position, as shown in Fig. 2. The function of this latch will be seen from the description of the operation below.

The above-described structure permits the valve to be opened either with ,or without the aid of hydraulic operating liquid admittedrthrough conduit 19e,Y To understand'the details of the methodvof operation, assume first the turbine is inoperative with the valve head 9 engaging the valve seat IIand no'hydraulic operating liquid supplied to motor I9. In this condition, the spring I9bof motor I9 will bias yoke 23 to its lowerrnost position, indicatedV in dotted linesat 23a in Fig. 2, the corresponding position of piston 49a. being representedvbythe dotted lines lee, lef in Fig. 1. To put the turbine in operation, handwheel I8 is rotated in such a direction as to cause spindle Il to rise inthe cylinder 32, carrying yoke 23 along to the raised Y,position shown in Fig. 2, in which position the yoke will be retained by shoulder 31a of latch 35. If now'rotation of handwheel I3 is reversed, the cylinder 32 will rise on the thread I'Ib, thus causing stem l' to be moved in the valve opening direction. The force transmitted from actuating*spindle I1 to the valve stem l V'I will cause a small compression of spring 33, the

extent of this compression being represented by the clearance space indicated at 39 in Fig. 1. The admissionrof steam to the turbine causes the hydraulic supply pumpA driven thereby .(not shown) to begin furnishing oil under pressure to the motor I9, which Hpressure will Vserve to hold the yoke `23 invuppermost position; -The latch 35 is then manually moved to its retracted position, in which the shoulder 31a merely engages the outer circumferential surface of yoke portion 23, Yso that hydraulic 'pressure valone supports the`yoke 23 and the hydraulic turbine Ygoverning system (not shown) is free to eiect lowering of yoke 23, by draining the operating liquid through conduit H3C. toV close the valve in the event the emergency overspeed governor is tripped. Y Upward movement of stem I is of course limited by engagementof the stem sealing shoulder 1a with its cooperating seat 5a. Further rotation of the handwheel in the same direction will cause movement of cylinder 32 upwardly so as to result in some further .compression of spring 30, with corresponding opening of the clearance space at V39.Y The eXtreme limiting position of handwheel I8 and the uppermost position of cylinder 32 is determined by engagement of the upper end Yof themcylinder withthe adjacent face of the yoke thrust bearingring 24.

Nowrtheactuating spindlerll is at one extreme @11dL Of its ranged, movement and. the Siem vSealing shoulder 'la` is, jammed tightly against its seat 5a,A If it were not forthe breakaway connection 2 3, differential thermal expansion between stem -1 and the housing mightnres'ult in suiiicient force being imposed on the stemto cause breakmit .free .dilerentia ,l

' tlieresultjthat yoke.' 23a-,isla

31kt db. the ,comnressionserins 301': spr .ai 3,0. s es to-fcusliion otherwise b` t.V smittediriomthe v lvesteml Ito the .valve actuatinagspinillel 1; and'.

valve; stem; relative; t it .th d lli-5131.1 u

. soithatb aro ndithe'pistonisstpp up; 'bel'ompstlo i nppermostppstigu as fdraulicfoperatinel uid position Withoutjthe -aid of thc-:f mechanical la ch 35. Beversingtthe rotation ofhandwheel'li will now cause the 'stenr' to rise to open the valve 9.

It Vwill oecourse; begunderstood `that.,ivlzlemthe supply of hydraulic operating liquid through conduit l9c"is-discontinued;-thesheavyspring |913 forcesgpiston lea downwardlyito close thevalve. 1t*willzalse:beepnresiatea haten-the ce. Spring Silk associated with .the breekauau conneeteniz@ is suiiciently stiff to be capable of transmitting the required force to move the valve stem 'l in the opening direction With only the limited deflection of spring represented by the clearance space 39.

If, with the hydraulic motor I9 holding the valve in its Wide open position, it should be desired to manually close the valve, handwheel I8 may be rotated in the appropriate direction to cause cyiinder 32 to descend on the thread I'lb, thus lowering stem 'l and closing valve head 9. This permits manually testing the valve to make sure that the stemis not frozen but free to move in the closing direction automatically as dictated by the governing system in the event of an emergency overspeed condition. This is a valuable safety feature in a valve subject to sticking, yet which must be absolutely reliable.

It will be apparent that the invention provides an improved stop valve for high pressure steam turbines and the like which may be opened manually when the turbine is shut down, being thereafter held in open position by pressure from the hydraulic governing system and having effective means for sealing the stem against leakage without danger of imposing excessive stresses on the valve stem due to differential thermal expansion.

While only one specic embodiment of the invention has been described herein, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that many changes and substitutions of mechanical equivalents may be made, and it is desired to cover by the appended claims all such modications as fall withi in the true spirit and scope of the invention.

centsaidowcontrcfmember;- saidshouldenhavingrangannular'bevelled sealing surface adjacent fsaid jliiousi ngeJ motor-means AforA A positioning the fstermv a rotatable actuatingspindleiinfaxiar alignment--but;spaced-`- frQnl'sthestemand meansconnecting;itheemetorvand spindleitoi thee-stem ingeleding; af yokve--conngetedvtothermotor -and havzfizigj avqentralfthrushlbea ngigrot'atably-receiving they actuating spirrd f -threadedfen -cylindricar andthe housing, Aand means corresponding':to-'open' "condition or 'the valve, whereby rotatjongof the actuating spindlewhen the-va-ive is in'f'felgsedrconeiuon Wm-Y causethe yspindle to` `movcamayffrongii-t-he rcylindfri'cal" members carrying the; yoke"toithe-extremeposition-in which it', is retained saidQ holding means,-after which-'rotation liof the'; :actuatingfspindle i irr` the oppositedirectiorrvvillY pull said'cylindrical memberstowardsitheyokef'tomovethe stem-in valveopening direction and tq'h'oldis'aid "shoulder Asealing-suracein sealing-engagementwithjsaid housing-tqpreventleakaeealoneisaid-stem. f

r 2;'"Af-va'1ve min 'accordance withicl'aim 1 yin which the means for retaining the yoke in'extreme position corresponding to openv condition of the valve comprises a mechanical latch carried on a fulcrum supported by the housing and adapted to engage the yoke and hold it in said position. 3. A valve in accordance with claim 1 in which the motor means for positioning the valve stem comprises a single-acting hydraulic motor having a vcylinder with a piston therein, spring means biasing the piston to an extreme position corresponding to the closed condition of thefvalve, conduit means for supplying operating liquid Ito the piston for positioning it against the bias of the spring, said hydraulic cylinder dening a `bypass passage for conducting operating liquid around the piston and draining it from the cylinder when the piston is in the extreme position corresponding .to closed position of the valve, said vpiston being adapted to close off said bypass passaid housing for engaging said housing to prevent leakage around said stem when said valve is in its open condition, motor means for` positioning the stem, a rotatable actuating spindle in axial alignment with but spaced from the stem, and

means connecting the motor and the spindle toV having a radially` extending flange portion, an

outer cylindrical lmember disposed in telescopic relation around said tube and having 2 first end portion dening a central opening through which the tube freely passes adjacent the connection to the valve stem, said cylindricalmember having an opposite closed end portion disposed. freely around said tube flange and'threadedly engaging said spindle end portion,V a compression spring disposed around ysaid tube and having end portions engaging said tube angeand said rst end portion of the cylinder member'r'espe'ctivel'y to bias them towards eachother, means preventing relative rotation between said cylindrical member, tube member, and housing, respectively, and means for retaining said yoke in an extreme position corresponding to open condition of the valve.

5. In a valve for controlling fluids at high temperatures and having a housing, a ow control member within said housing and carried on a reciprocable stem having an end portion projecting from said housing, said' stem having an annular shoulder therearound adjacent said now control member, said 'shoulder having an annular bevelled sealing surface adjacent said housing, motor means for positioning the stem, and a rotatable actuating member, the combination of means connecting the motor and actuating member to the stem including a tube` member with one end portion secured to the valvestem and the other end having a radially extending flange portion, an outer cylindrical member disposed in telescopic relationaround the tube and having a first end portion defining a central opening through which the tube freely passes, said cylindrical memberV having an opposite closed end portion freely surrounding the tube flange, a compression spring disposed around the tube and engaging the tube flange and said rst end portion ofthe cylinder member respectively tobias them towards each other thereby holding said shoulder sealing surface in sealing engagement with said housing to prevent leakage along said stem when said flow control member is in its extreme position corresponding to the open condition of the valve, key means `for Vpreventing relative rotation between the tube, cylinder, and housing, respectively, an actuating spindle connected to be rotated by saidf actuating member and having an end portion passing through and threadedly engaging the closed end of the cylinder and extending into the ,open end ofthe inner tube member, a yoke disposed transversely of the stem and spindle andconnected .to be positionecl by said motor, the yoke having a central thrust bearing portion rotatably receiving the actuating spindle with the threaded end thereof projecting from the thrust bearing'towards the valve stem, and mechanical latch means for holding the yoke in extreme open position and including a spring-biased detent pivoted to the valve housing and having an end portion adapted to engage the yoke.

- A -LAURI A. LAKSO.

Refafemes cited in the me of 'this .patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

